Lost
by Lelila Solo
Summary: Everyone has lost something...
1. Chapter 1

"Everyone has lost something in this war, Leia. You're not the only one."

He was the only one who would tell her like it was. He was the only one who would speak to her as an equal, and not as a princess of a world that didn't exist anymore. He was the only one who would ever dare to speak to her like he was now. He was the only one who wouldn't let her fail in her misery. He was the only one that cared enough to not let her.

"I'm sure, every one of those recruits out there had what happened to me happen to them."

"Leia, you know that wasn't your fault, and you know that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then explain, because I don't think I do."

"You, you lost everything. Your world was destroyed. You lost your family, and friends, and because you were a princess you lost your people. Luke, he lost everything. His world was destroyed. He lost his family, and friends, and because he's a squadron leader he's lost his people, it's the same to him as it is to you. Those pilots, if the Empire hadn't already killed their families, they left them to come fight for the Alliance. They've lost friends in combat. If they are squadron leaders, they've lost their people too.

"You aren't the only one who has lost things in this war. Those people look to you for the strength to move on when they don't have any left. If you lose yourself to your grief, this whole operation is going to come crashing down. And you will lose the war. Then everything you lost would have been for nothing."

As he turned away, she looked up, "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You said everyone has lost something in this war. What about you? What did you lose?"

"It doesn't matter what I lost. All that matters is that you realize you aren't the only one. So get over it. Yes, Alderaan is gone. But there is nothing you can do to bring it back. There was nothing you could do to stop the Empire. Alderaan is gone because they wanted it gone. Even if you had told them the base was on Yavin. Alderaan still would have been destroyed, because the Empire wanted it destroyed. There was nothing you could do then, and there is nothing you can do now."

"Han, what—?"

"Leia, forget it. It doesn't matter."

"I think it does. I think it matters a great deal and yet you won't say anything for the same reasons as me. You don't want to relive it, and yet you relive it every night. That's why you are like you are. That's why I'm like I am. What happened to you?"

"I lost my family and friend. Happy?"

"Not really."

"I just answered your question."

She leaned back against the bulkhead. "We have a long time Solo."

"There are better things that I can be doing with that time than explaining to you what I lost. Because it happened eight years ago. And it doesn't matter anymore." He turned and took a few steps before she said anything.

"You were there for me Han; let me be there for you."

"I don't need anyone to be there for me except me," he snapped.

Sighing, she gave up and let him walk away.

* * *

Scrounging around in a closet for some cleaning supplies later that day, Leia found an old crate stuffed way in the back. Curious, she pulled it out into the light and opened it. She stared curiously for a moment, then in shock. The crate contained a child's playthings. A girl's playthings. She pulled out a stuffed animal of a wookiee. There were a couple of coloring pages half colored in, and crayons littered the bottom of the durasteel crate. Toys and ribbons and other odds and ends filled the crate. But what she found at the very bottom brought her to tears. It was a datapad, and the only file on it was an image file. She tapped it lightly and the first picture of the slideshow came up. It showed a much younger Han and in his arms was a baby. His face was lit up with a grin that reached his eyes.

As the pictures progressed, the baby grew up. She saw a picture of Han holding the hand of a little girl who was clutching a little stuffed wookiee to her chest. In some pictures, a young woman would be with them, and some were just of the woman and the little girl, so Leia was led to believe that this was the girl's mother. _And Han's wife?_

The picture's abruptly ended. Leia guessed by the last one that the little girl was maybe five or six years old. In it, the little girl had been holding her wookiee doll and Han had been holding her in his arms. She was smiling up at him and he was grinning down at her, his grin reaching his eyes.

He looked so happy, and content. Like that little girl was the only thing important in his life and as long as she was there with him nothing else mattered. She smiled and packed the crate back up, leaving nothing but the wookiee doll and the datapad out. She pushed the crate back into its spot and closed the closet, having forgotten about cleaning.

* * *

She went to his quarters and knocked on the door. When no answer came she called his name gently. Still no answer. She opened the door and stepped inside. Han looked up from his bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

He stared at her with a little more than shock written on his face, which grew as she drew near. "What are you doing here?" his voice less than a whisper.

"Not what you think, Flyboy," she said. She sat down on the edge of the bed and hit the light. He blinked a few times in order to adjust and stared up at her in question. "What did they take away from you Han?"

"I told you not to worry about that. It's not important."

"You said your family. Did you mean your daughter?"

He sat up, his eyes instantly hard. "What are you talking about?"

She smiled softly and held up the wookiee doll. "What was her name?"

"Where did you find that?" he snarled.

"In the closet. I was looking for cleaning supplies which seem to be nonexistent on this ship. I saw a big crate in the back and thought that maybe they would be in there. I found this, and this," she held up her other hand which held the datapad.

"Why were you snooping around in my ship?" he growled, snatching the doll and the datapad from her grasp.

"I wasn't. If you kept things in more obvious places maybe I wouldn't have found these. And I still didn't find those cleaning products."

His gaze hardened as he stared at her, demanding an explanation that they both knew she didn't have, because it had been an accident.

"I'm sorry," she said, resting her hand on his. "Tell me, what was her name?"

"Aleya," he breathed. "It's Corellian. It means—."

"Spirit," they said together.

"It's beautiful. From the pictures, she is beautiful," Leia said softly.

"She was."

"Do you want to look, at the pictures?" He shook his head. "Remembering isn't bad, Han. Remembering helps you heal. Maybe these will help you."

"I…I can't," he said and even in the dark she could see tears filling his eyes.

"Yes you can, and I'll be right here," she moved to lie beside him and took the datapad from his hand, turned it on, and started the slideshow.

She heard his breath catch in his throat when he saw the first picture. Without prompting, he started to explain. "That's when I found out she was mine. Her mother showed up at my place with her. She put it as blatant as blatant can be. 'She's yours.'"

Just saying those words caused him to choke. Leia looked at him as he continued. "Her mom brought her over all the time. After awhile they moved in with me."

When the young woman entered the pictures, Leia asked, "What was her name?"

"Kariana, I had met her at one of the local hangouts. I didn't expect to see her after that night, especially not with a kid."

"So you weren't married?"

"No, we weren't. I guess that just adds to the reputation I have, the one that you think so highly about," she could hear the sarcasm.

"I just wondered," she breathed lightly.

He explained every picture. Where they were, what had just happened, what they were going to do, why they looked the way they did. As they neared the end, both he and Leia had tears covering their cheeks. "That wookiee doll was her favorite thing in the world; Chewie had given it to her. She named him Lumpy."

"Isn't that the name of Chewie's son?"

"Yeah, she had never met him though. Chewie was highly amused." He smiled through his tears.

"She was really growing up to be something, wasn't she," Leia said, more to herself, as a statement.

"Yeah, she was." They got to the last picture. "That was the last time I saw her."

"What happened?" He needed to talk about this, she knew. And she knew that know might be the only time she could get through to him.

"I had to go out on a run. While I was out, the Empire stormed Coronet. They killed everyone that protested or tried to fight back. I never saw Aleya again, or Kariana. By the time I got back, the Empire was long gone. I don't know what happened to them."

"I'm so sorry Han," Leia whispered.

"She had just turned six in that picture. She would be fourteen now. What I'd give to see her alive, and happy," he said softly. He turned the datapad off and laid it beside him on the bed. He held the wookiee doll, Lumpy, in both hands, and stared at it for the longest time. "She loved this thing. Kept it with her where ever she went. I think she left it on the ship when she and her mother came to tell me goodbye before I left on that run. I found it about three days after we left and dropped out of hyperspace just to comm her and let her know he was safe and that he was just taking a ride with daddy. She smiled and told me that he would let her know what it was like to be in hyperspace, since she wasn't allowed to go with me. I miss her. I miss her a lot Leia."

"It's hard to think of you as a father, Han. But the way look in those pictures, I can everything a good father needs. Love, kindness, compassion. I wish I had had a father like I think you were to that little girl. My father was a great man, but he spent a lot of time telling me that I could be better. He always pushed me to do better. It wasn't until I was elected into the Senate that I finally felt like he was proud of me. But I can see you telling that little girl every day of how proud you were of her."

"Thanks Leia." He paused for a moment, thinking she assumed. "I was scared to death about being a father when Kariana told me. I didn't know what to do. I grew up with nobody."

"And yet you turned out just fine," Leia smiled.

"I'd like to think so."

"I think so," she said. "I'll let you get back to bed. I'll go check with Chewie. How long did you say it was until we got to Bespin?"

"A long time, I don't remember the exact number of days; Chewie can pull it up on the navicom for you."

"Okay, get back to bed sleepy head," she smiled and tried to sit up. Han caught her forearm.

"Leia," he said softly, making her turn to look at him. "Thank you." He kissed her softly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Flyboy," she said, leaving him to his dreams.

* * *

Well, what do you think?

Should I continue, because there are places this fic could go...


	2. Chapter 2

"Go!"

She heard the command but didn't follow. She wasn't going to leave him in there. Not this time.

"Leia, get out of here!"

She could feel her heart pounding and everything slowed down. Her breathing became faster. She couldn't see him. But she could hear his frantic calls from the comm link for her to get out.

"Leia! Get out of here, now! Go!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Yes you are! Now get out of here or I'll never forgive myself! Go!"

In a last agonizing decision, she turned and fled, more for him. Every step she took was harder to take, because she knew she was leaving him, and that he wouldn't get out in time. He had gone too far in; there wasn't enough time for him to get to the exit.

"Han!"

"Are you out?"

"Yes, are you?"

"Leia, get away from here! Get to the _Falcon_, tell Chewie to take off! Go, now!"

"Han I can't leave you here!"

"Leia, I'm surrounded, I'm not going anywhere."

And then all she heard was static.

She ran.

As they rose above the trees, she saw the explosion.

All she could hear was Chewie's howling, and herself saying, "Oh Goddess no, no, no, no."

Lando pointed them spaceward and they shot away from the destruction, from the death…

From him.

* * *

Sorry that one was so short, my original idea was too corny, so I had to redo it.  
There will be more soon I promise. 


	3. Chapter 3

Here's the next installment, much longer to make up for chapter 2.

* * *

Pulling the helmet off of her head, allowing her light brown hair to cascade over her shoulders from underneath a dark bandana, Lieutenant Reymus made her way across the docking bay between a platoon of stormtroopers. Looking back, she made sure that her shuttle was being properly attended to, before heading down to prep the latest hostage for interrogation. She hated that job, most people were scared out of their mind, which made it that much harder. And if she was lucky, she got to stay in the room and watch them being interrogated, which wasn't so bad unless Darth Vader was personally seeing to the interrogation. Then it got bad. The Sith Lord was ruthless. The last prisoner he had personally seen to had been about five years ago, since then he had been out searching for someone that no one thought he had ever found. The senator from Alderaan, she couldn't remember her name. But she had been struggling to keep herself in check and not cry out for the sith to stop. Luckily, he had stopped before she couldn't control herself; because she would have been in serious trouble had she interrupted.

Reaching the detention level and flashing her I.D., she walked back to the cell that her charge was occupying. She pulled out gloves from her pocket and slipped them on and then checked her blaster, situated in its low-slung holster on her right leg. It reminded her once again that someone must be looking down on her with favor, she was sixteen and had moved farther than most females in the ranks of the Empire, and she was allowed non-issue equipment. Taking a deep breath and preparing for the worst, she palmed the door controls and entered.

Han looked up at the Imperial officer with contempt and disgust. He was, however, somewhat shocked when the officer was a female, and a young female, and that she had non-issue equipment. And that she was a lieutenant doing an unranked officer's work. She hadn't looked at him yet, but was preparing something out of his line of sight. He noticed the dark bandana on top of her light brown hair, and it triggered a memory. A memory he quickly wished away, but it didn't leave fast enough.

* * *

"_Daddy!" a five year old exclaimed when he walked in the door._

"_Hey kid," he smiled. "Are you ready?"_

"_You bet!" she grinned and held up the helmet her mother had bought her earlier that day. He picked her up and carried her to the speeder waiting outside, and took her to the local swoop park._

_She climbed up onto the little swoop he had bought her and tried to fasten the helmet onto her little dirty blonde head, but her curls got in the way. Laughing, he dug around in his pockets and pulled out a bandana. It was much too big for her, so he folded it over about three times and then tied it around her head, and her helmet slipped on easily. She laughed as he showed her how to use the throttle and get the swoop going. _

* * *

"Excuse me," the lieutenant said, snapping him back to the present.

"Sorry," Han said, shifting his gaze from the floor to the face of the officer. "I—"

The officer dropped the binders she was holding and stepped back. Her eyes got wide as she stared at him. There was a thud as she backed into the wall, and she continued to stare at him, gaping.

He stood up and walked over to her, he himself not entirely sure that what he was seeing wasn't a dream. He reached out to touch her and she jerked away. "Don't touch me," she spat.

"Aleya," he whispered, and pulled her into his arms.

She wanted to be angry at the man who had deserted her and her mother and left them to die at the hands of the Empire. She wanted to kick and scream and call him every name she knew and shout every curse. She fell into his arms and cried. "Daddy."

He kissed her forehead like he had the day he left, and held her tighter.

She suddenly remembered to be angry and wrenched away from him. "I have an interrogation to prep you for."

"Aleya," he said, confused.

"Don't even," she snarled. "You left. You didn't come back, not when the Empire came. I tried to call you. I was six! And I tried to call you as soon as those alarms went off. But you didn't answer. You were too busy playing pirate!"

"Aleya!"

"No! I've had a long time to think about this," she glared at him with cold eyes. "I know exactly what happened. You were tired of having to be there. Mom told me as much. You didn't want a kid, you didn't want the responsibility. So you left us, and when you knew what was going on, you didn't answer. You didn't come home. You never tried to find me. You left us at the mercy of the Empire. And you knew that during raids, the Empire didn't have much mercy at all."

"Aleya, I didn't leave you. I was doing my job. I was in hyperspace when you sent me all of those calls. I got them when we dropped out at the rendezvous. It scared me to death when the chimes went crazy. Fifteen messages. Fifteen. I listened to every single one. I didn't even try to outrun the Star Destroyer coming up on us. I dumped my cargo and got boarded. I never get boarded. I was devastated. Don't even think for one second that I was tired of you. I came back home as soon as the Destroyer left. But by the time I got there, the Empire was gone, your mother was gone, you were gone. I didn't know what happened to you. I was looking for you; I ended up in Mos Eisley. That's where I learned about the price on my head for dumping Jabba's cargo," he saw a younger version of himself in her eyes. Distrustful of everyone around her, hard eyed and hard hearted.

"And now you're with the Rebellion?"

"After the Empire took my family from me, took you from me, I swore I'd do everything I could to pay them back."

She snorted in disgust and turned her back to him. "I'm sure."

He put a hand on her shoulder and she stiffened. "Aleya I love you."

She broke. Every memory of her with her father came rushing back. Every beating she had ever received in the Academy for talking about back home, about her father. She fell to the floor and cried. He kneeled behind her. "I'm sorry daddy."

"I know how the Empire is, if they put you through the Academy, I know. I'm sorry too," he said softly.

"I don't want to do this."

"It's your job, and you better do it so you don't get in trouble."

"Daddy, I can't," she pleaded.

He stood up. He remembered when she would not want to get up in the morning, or do a chore like cleaning up her toys. He remembered that being stern with her always worked. "Aleya, you are sixteen and a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy. Prepping for interrogation is something you have done at least a hundred times. Pretend I'm someone else. I'm disposable. The sooner you do it, the sooner it will be over with."

He walked back over to the bench and sat down and waited.

"They'll be here soon."

"I know," he answered. "So you best get on with it."

* * *

Darth Vader motioned for the two black standard uniformed officers to follow him back to the cell that Han Solo was imprisoned in. He had ordered for Lieutenant Reymus to prep him over an hour ago, and had just received the conformation call with an apology stating that the hostage had been difficult.

The door opened and Aleya stared at her father. The look in his eyes was reassuring. Then she heard the breathing. _No, no, no, no, please no._

"Captain Solo," Vader said. "It's a pleasure to meet you again and so soon."

"Too soon," Han said, glaring defiantly at the Dark Jedi. In his peripheral vision, he saw Aleya standing at complete attention, looking straight ahead. _Good, show no weakness, especially in front of this slime_. She smiled slightly as if she had heard him.

"Lieutenant Reymus. In accordance with your call, since this particular patient was difficult, I must ask you to stay in case we need extra assistance."

Han saw the devastated look in her eyes, but she simply replied, "Yes Lord Vader."


	4. Chapter 4

It had been over five months and this was their tenth mission since he'd gone missing.

Since they'd left him.

Everyone was feeling the effects without his leadership, or judgment, or morale boosters. High Command was even feeling less optimistic without the resident mercenary around. The bays were quieter without the never ending repairs going on around his ship and the halls were silent without the constant banter that ensued whenever he and Leia happened to pass one another, which happened more often than not and led many people to believe that they crossed paths on purpose; a statement that Leia would neither agree or disagree with.

They lost more battles than won without his guidance, and their death rate had tripled. It was funny to think of the unattached pirate as the only reason that they had been doing so well, but when they really thought, none of them would be there right now, because the Death Star would have blown them all to space dust if he hadn't come back and gotten those TIE's off of Luke's tail.

Leia sighed, if she ever saw him again, she would have to remember to thank him profusely. _I have to remember to tell him a lot of things_.

Leia eyed the Imperial bunker that her team was about ready _to_ slip into. She had finally taken charge a mission, hoping that maybe she could save their skins this time.

Her team quietly slipped inside the hatch that Tek had so cautiously cut into the ceiling of the bunker. She hoped fervently that this would be their last endeavor to fine the information on the second Death Star that High Command was sure the Empire was building.

Ten minutes had gone by and no one had sounded an alarm. _So far so good_. She double clicked her comm and received several clicks back in response. Not five minutes later, a voice that she recognized as Strike 2 came through.

"Code red, code red! We've got a cod—"

"I see them." Several laser blasts flashed, and that was the end of Strike 2. "Everyone out. Fall back. They've got us. Get out." She sighed heavily and backed up into something. Turning slowly, she came face to face with an Imperial officer. She closed her eyes and sighed again.

Before she could pull her blaster, the officer had her on her stomach, pinned very effectively. The officer leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Lieutenant Reymus. I believe you know my father."

"What?"

"My father, Han Solo? He's spoken of you before. You're Leia, right?"

"Yes," Leia said.

"I'm here to help you."

* * *

So? 

My updates are rather fast right now because it's the weekend and it's a long one because of Memorial Day and I have nothing better to do than write (which isn't that bad a fate to be assigned)


	5. Chapter 5

Leia wasn't particularly sure that she could trust this kid. She looked right, the right age, and she was talking about Han, and that he was her father. Besides that, she really did have a choice seeing as how she was pinned to the ground, all this kid had to do was grab her blaster and Leia would be gone.

"Do you trust me?"

"I don't really have a choice," Leia bit out. She felt some of the weight leave her shoulders and thought that the kid was going to let her up. Moments later she heard the cool metal of binders against her wrists and then heard the locking click. _Well now, I guess I shouldn't have trusted you_.

"Cooperate, or you will be sincerely sorry," the officer snarled.

"I thought you said that you were here to help me," Leia snapped.

"You shouldn't believe everything people tell you."

* * *

Lieutenant Reymus pushed Leia through the corridors down to the detention level. Flashing her I.D. she pushed Leia past the control center and down the hall lined with cells. A hallway that reminded Leia too much of the Death Star. After Lieutenant Reymus had checked that the officers back at the control center weren't paying attention, she leaned in and whispered to Leia, "I'll be back. Be ready to go." 

She palmed the door controls and it slid open. She roughly shoved Leia into the cell and watched her haphazardly trip down the stairs. Shutting the door, and stifling a laugh, she walked back to the control center.

Han looked up at the sound of clattering at his cell door. His expression went from passive indifference to astonished surprise in less time than it took the _Falcon_ to jump to hyperspace. "Leia?"

She ran to him, "Oh Han." Both of them had binders on, so she felt like they looked a little awkward, but being next to him again was so intoxicating that she didn't care. She reached up and kissed him hungrily.

"Leia, what are you doing here?"

"Trying to find plans for a Death Star," she looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "I thought you were dead."

"Not quite."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Han, that lieutenant that brought me here said that she knows you. She said that she's your daughter and that she's going to help us. I just hope she enacts it soon, or my team is going to up and leave and then we'll be stranded here for awhile."

"Leia," he said softly, causing her to stop and look at him again. "Stop talking." He plastered his lopsided grin on his face, "I haven't seen you in months, and thought I dearly love the sound of your voice, just stop talking. I missed you."

He nuzzled the top of her head and she complied. They sat on the bench, her legs draped over his. He bent down to kiss her and she met him halfway. They pulled apart and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. He watched her curiously until the cell door slid open again.

"Would you two knock it off? Let's go," Lieutenant Reymus hissed.

Leia went first, followed by Han, and the lieutenant shut the door. Grabbing both of them by their forearms, she led them through the now deserted corridors quickly, getting them to a side entrance as fast as she could.

"Hurry, your weapons are under the shrub out there. I'll have to sound an alarm, so you'll have to move fast, I can only give you a couple minutes," she said as she unlocked a cuff from one wrist for each of them. "Go."

"Come with us," Han said.

"I can't, you have to get out of here."

"Aleya," Han started.

"Please father, get out of here while you still can."

Leia darted out to the trees. Han made to follow, but turned back around to call one thing back to his daughter. "I'm proud of you, Aleya."

The door shut and he made a break for the trees.

* * *

Aleya slumped against the door and cried quietly.

* * *

"This is Leia, call in. Repeat, this is Leia, call in." 

After a few seconds of comm silence, the calls came in.

"Strike Five."

"Strike Three."

"Strike Two."

"Strike Six."

"Strike Four."

"Strike Seven."

"Strike One, good to know you're okay Strike Leader."

Leia smiled and clipped her holster straps together around her thigh. "Where are you?" She told Han the coordinates. "I'll meet you there shortly. And I have company."

She looked at Han and grinned. But his attention was focused in casting a forlorn look at the Imperial bunker.

"What's wrong?"

"I just feel like I'm never going to see her again," he said, shaking his head. "Let's get out of here, sweetheart."

* * *

Aleya had recovered her faculties and was hurrying to the nearest command box. She entered the alarm code and seconds later the building was screeching with the alarm. She pulled out the comm and relayed a short message about escaped prisoners. She inwardly prayed that they had gotten away.

* * *

"She set of the alarm," Han said. 

"There's my team, come on," Leia grabbed his hand and they ran to the shuttle.

"What are your orders, Strike Leader?" someone yelled.

"Let's get out of here!" Everyone jumped up and ran up the ramp, crowding the little shuttle.

* * *

"Welcome back, Solo," General Reeikan said, slapping him on the back. "It's good to see you in one piece." 

"Versus it being great to see me in fifty?" Han jabbed.

Leia smiled but reprimanded him, "Han."

"The man has surely just been through hell, Princess, let him have his fun," Reeikan smiled. "Solo, a word to you later, in my office."

"Certainly General, though I don't know what kind of fun I could have in there."

Leia knew that if the General hadn't been standing there, Han would have been leering at her.

* * *

Leia pulled him into her quarters for a moment's silence. The entire trip back had been nothing more than a cross interrogation as the strike team constantly asked him questions. _Though their interrogation was possibly a slight bit more humane_. Ever since they had been back, the Rogues had been all over him. She knew he was exhausted. 

He sat down on her bunk and ran a hand over his face. She crawled in behind him and tucked her legs underneath herself. She pulled his vest off and began massaging his tense shoulders. He sighed and leaned into her kneading hands. Her hands wandered down his biceps and she laid her head on his shoulder after kissing it.

"Missed you."

"I missed you, too," he mumbled, his head resting on hers.

"Get some sleep. I'll be back soon," she said and kissed his cheek. She got up and walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her. He pulled off his boots and belt, and unsnapped the holster straps from around his thigh and laid them on the floor. He rolled onto his side and fell asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow.

* * *

Hmm...so what do y'all think? 

I can't believe that all of you guys really liked this story...I honestly didn't have that much faith in it.

Thanks for the reviews, very much, it's what has kept this story going.


	6. Chapter 6

They were directing the landing shuttles and ships into a clear field not far from the ewok village. Leia and Han had gotten separated, ending up on opposite ends of the field, trying to find spares areas large enough to give the ships enough room so as to not disrupt the craft already on the ground.

"That's the last of them, General," she said into the comlink.

"For now, Reeikan informed me awhile ago that Command would be down later and to reserve them a space," Han's voice filtered back.

"How are you going to do that?"

"I set the Rogues blocking off a large section with Imperial helmets and some red paint I had on the _Falcon_, hopefully that will keep them out of trouble for awhile," Han said.

Leia laughed, "Yes, it sounds like they'll be occupied for awhile. And before you get all hard on them, remember that you used to be right there with them getting into trouble. Meet you in the middle?"

"As always," he said, she could hear his grin.

Meandering through the throngs of Rebels, and smiling pleasantly at the ones who weren't too busy to notice her, she noticed a commotion coming from a direction slightly left of where she was headed. _But knowing, Han, he'll be right in the think of things anyway, so I might as well figure out what's going on_. She shifted gears, her short legs powering her a little faster, and jumped into the melee.

"What's going on her—" she stopped short upon seeing the Imperial TIE fighter docked behind a Rebel shuttle. Many pilots had guns trained on the ship, ready to blast the pilot into scrap should he chose to try and exit. There were already some smoldering blaster marks showing on the hull. "Put your weapons away."

Only a couple moved, and even then they only lowered their weapons.

"She said, put them away," a masculine voice growled from in the crowd as Han pushed his way through to stand beside her. "That's an order."

He stared at the group of Rebels until they all holstered their blasters, albeit reluctantly. He turned expectantly to the fighter as the top hatch opened and a voice called out, "Is it okay to come out."

"So long as you aren't going to shot anyone," Han answered.

"I swear."

"What good is an Imperial's word?" someone called out.

Leia turned and glared at them; letting the Ice Princess flow freely through her, welcoming her presence. "We were all Imperials, so shut it! This pilot deserves the benefit of the doubt same as the rest of us were given."

The mumbling quieted down and she turned back to look at the ship, catching Han's tense smile as she did so. The hatch opened all the way and a uniformed TIE pilot exited the ship. Before the pilot could begin his descent, someone fired their blaster.

Han ran forward and caught the pilot before he hit the ground. Leia rushed over beside him and released the helmet clamps and removed the helmet to reveal a dark bandana and light brown hair.

"Aleya!"

Her head fell back, unconscious against his strong arm and he stood up and glared into the crowd. Those in front stepped back, the look in his eyes was more intimidating than Leia's icy glare. "Who shot that blaster?" he asked slowly, darkly, his words so blatant they were a demand.

Three Rebels pushed a fourth forward and then quickly dove back into the cover of the crowd. Han Solo was angry and they did not want to meet the blunt side of that anger. Leia stepped forward to question the man.

"Name, rank, I.D.," she barked.

"Tek Hains, lieutenant, 25173," he rattled off.

"Lieutenant Hains," Leia started and he gulped at her tone. "Were you, or were you not, instructed to put away your weapons?"

"I was."

"Good, for a moment there I thought my ears had deceived me."

The pilot gulped again.

Leia continued with her interrogation. "And you shot a blaster in the direction of this pilot, on purpose?"

"Well I—"

"Yes or no will suffice, lieutenant."

"Yes."

"So you admit to intentionally disobeying and order?"

"Yes ma'am."

"That is all, Hains. Be expecting a court marshal," she said sternly.

Meanwhile, Han had rushed off to the makeshift medcenter on the perimeter of the clearing. Leia wanted desperately to follow him, but faint shouting caught her attention and she had the afflicting feeling that if she didn't go see what was up it would come back to haunt her in the near future, so she went to see what was going on before she went after Han.

* * *

The job was done, very neatly, she had to admit, _for the Rogues of course_. But she sighed in mock exasperation when she caught them in the middle of a paint war. Several cans were still sitting alone on the ground so she took up station there while she tried to figure out the best way to get their attention. One of the little red Rebels was running for her, so she thought this would be her opportunity…until he dove for the ground. A wave of red paint followed him, sloshing against Leia and covering her from head to toe. They all froze in mid-war actions and stared at her and each other in shock and utter dismay, anticipating her most likely unforgettable comeback.

A bloodcurdling shriek filled their ears seconds later, once she had gotten over her own shock and registered who the unfortunate Rogue was that had hit her. "WEDGE!"

"I'm, I'm so, I'm so sorry Princess, I…I…I didn't mean, ah," he fought to contain his laughter, and at the same time his overwhelming fear of what she was going to do to him.

"Wedge, you sithspawned bantha brained idiot! You are going to learn a new meaning for the term Corellian Barbeque," she growled menacingly.

"I—Princess, I'm so sorry, It's really all Janson's fault, if he hadn't dived then you wouldn't have gotten…" he realized that his babbling wasn't helping him out of his predicament at all.

"Boys, would you mind laying him flat on his back, and pinning him there?" Leia smiled evilly, and Wedge, to his credit, complied with no resistance. Leia picked up one of the buckets of paint, tipped it on end and let the red cascade cover him from head to toe. Then she picked up another one and repeated the action. She had them roll him on his back when she was about half way through the cans. The last two she reserved for the others, pouring the red liquid on their heads. "Thanks boys,"

She dropped the empty can into the pile and left them all standing there, covered in red paint, which was quickly seeping through their clothes. They all looked down at Wedge as he tried unsuccessfully to get to his feet on his own. They helped him up and then headed off to find somewhere that housed a shower.

"Hey Wedge," Janson smirked as the other hobbled along. "Next time, I wouldn't throw paint all over the princess."

"Janson," Hobbie said in a know-it-all tone that mimicked his friend. "I would shut your ever so open trap before Wedge kicks you from here to Corellia and then pummels you into the ground so hard that you never see a shower again."

"I see your point, Hobbs."

* * *

Leia wove her way through the medical center in the direction she had been pointed, so she could find Han. She finally located him in the back, clutching his daughter's hand. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him and she blinked back tears, remembering a time when she was a little girl and had been deathly sick and her father had done the same thing, hovering over her the entire day.

He finally took notice of her presence and turned to look at her with solemn eyes, which very quickly became concerned and shocked eyes.

"Leia," he asked nervously, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine; it's just your red paint."

"Oh thank Goddess," he exhaled.

She came over and wrapped her arms around his chest. "Come on; let the med droids worry about her. She's going to be fine, she didn't even get hit."

"How'd you know?"

"Med droids know everything these days," she winked.

"Oh."

"She just got knocked out. She's going to be just fine. Let's go. You need to show me where the _Falcon_ is so I can get this horrible stuff off of my skin and out of my hair," she said, kissing his shoulder blade.

"Okay, you go, I'll be right there," he promised.

She walked out and turned back around to watch him. He stared down at Aleya and Leia heard him whisper, "I'm so proud of you, Aleya." He kissed her forehead and tears sprung into Leia's eyes.

_Oh Father_.

She felt Han's arm around her and looked up at him with a shaky smile.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

* * *

Sorry, I had to write two scripts and do a chem lab write up, and then type this up. enjoy! 


	7. Chapter 7

The campaign at Endor had been a success, the Death Star was gone, and with it the Emperor and Darth Vader. The Empire was defeated.

They were in her cabin that the ewoks had given her. Animal skins covered the bed that she was laying on. Her hair was still braided.

The feasting had long ago started, and after seeing everyone safely home, they had retired. Well, Leia had retired. Han had just left. He smiled at her from where he leaned against the wall. He wondered if the ewoks had ever had a human female amongst their tribe before, a petite human female, because the dress that they had given Leia to wear fit her nicely. Even though it was crude, and it wasn't from the most expensive store on Coruscant, it accented her figure. _Probably not as nicely as that bikini Jabba had her in though._

The way she was laying on the bed left her leg exposed clear up to her hip. His eyes trailed along her leg and up her torso to meet her eyes again. _I wish my hands could trail along her leg, not just my eyes_.

She smiled back at him enchantingly. The braid in her hair was begging to be undone. He was finding it harder and harder to remain against the wall. But his boots were by the bed and if he went over there to get them so he could leave, he never would. The wind brushed through the trees and moonlight played across her face, her dark eyes flashing. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Then he heard a sound and his eyes popped open again. Was she _laughing_?

"What's so funny, Your Worship?" he asked.

"You," she replied softly.

"You're killing me over here."

"I got that when you sighed."

"I'm gonna need my boots." She bent over and picked up his boots, tossing one over to him. He kneeled down and slipped it on. Looking up at her he grinned, "The other one?"

"Why don't you come and get that one?"

"Because I have to report in, and if I come over there, I'll never get out of here," he said.

She slipped it on her own foot and smiled, hanging her lower leg over the edge of the bed.

He walked over and kneeled down, slipping the boot off of her foot. He pressed his forehead against her knee and his hand trailed up her thigh a few inches. Then he got up and walked out, throwing his trademark grin over his shoulder to her. "I'll be back, to say goodnight."

* * *

"General Solo, we didn't think you were going to come," Reeikan said.

"Well, I can't shirk my duties, but I can procrastinate them," he said with a laugh. He swiped his card across the scanner, and checked off his losses, accomplishments, and jotted down other comments. "How many have we lost?"

"Too many Solo, too many," Reeikan said. "Go on, get out of here. Don't worry about that right now. We won, it's something to be celebrated."

"A win requires a special event of some kind, huh?"

"Of course, what do you think those fuzzy teddy bears are still up to?" the general replied.

"If you'll excuse me, General, but I'm going to check on the Imperial pilot that I brought to the medical bay and then I'm thinking it's time for bed," he said.

"Of course, Solo," the general nodded.

* * *

He stood in the shadows and watched his daughter sleep. The med droid had informed him that she had woken briefly, but seemed to be dazed. The droid had assured Han that she would be awake tomorrow. His hand brushed his cheek, wiping away the tear falling down it. Sighing in concern, but also contentment in knowing that she would be okay. _Remember, she's brought herself up; she grew up on her own, just like I did_. _She's not your little girl anymore, she's a woman, and she can take care of herself. When she wakes up, you can't baby her_.

* * *

He went back to her cabin to find her snoozing on top of the skins covering her bed. He stood in the door and smiled, "Goodnight Leia."

He turned to leave when he heard rustling, and her voice, "Han?"

He stayed profile to her, so he could turn and be out of her sight easily, "Go back to sleep Princess, you're exhausted. I need to go find the _Falcon_. Lando moved it after the celebration. Go back to sleep."

"Stay here," she said.

"What?" he turned to face her fully.

"Stay here, with me. We'll find the _Falcon_ tomorrow."

"Princess, you are exhausted and delirious. Go back to bed, you don't want me to stay here," it was more a question.

"Stay here, Han." She sat up, and her skirt shifted back to reveal her leg again as the moon played across her face.

"Sweetheart, I would love to, but I have duties to attend to."

"Don't lie to me, I know you already signed in and Reeikan sent you off. I'm not stupid," she said forcefully.

"I wasn't implying that. But I do need to find the _Falcon_."

"Lando is out cold. How are you going to find the _Falcon_ without him?" He found himself at the foot of the bed as she crawled up to him, staring directly into his eyes. "Besides, this bed is bigger."

He was sure that she could hear his heart pounding. He was sure that she could see how dark with emotion his eyes were. He wasn't sure that she was really offering, or implying what he was reading into her offer. He bent down and slipped his boots and socks off, leaving them at the foot of the bed. He cradled her head in one hand, using the other to balance himself against the bed. She reached forward and kissed him. He pulled her to her knees on the bed and deepened the kiss, his tongue finding its way between her parted lips to brush against hers. Her hands had found the collar of his jacket and were pushing it down him arms, until he shook it off. Then her fingers grasped at his shirt pulling it up and over his head. He immediately went back to her mouth, kissing her hard and demanding as her hands wandered over his chest and back, and along his arms, feeling the hard muscle of his triceps and biceps. She jerked when he gently nipped at the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and her ragged breath caught in her throat. He whispered her name in her ear. And then he pulled away.

"You'll hate me in the morning, Leia." As much as he wanted this, he couldn't do it while she was slightly drunk and more than a bit drowsy and disorientated. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you hate me in the morning. I may hate myself right now, but I want you to still love me tomorrow."

* * *

That may be the last update for awhile, because I have to figure out what i'm going to do with this story, I'm not exactly sure of what I want to do with it (In short, I've totally run out of ideas, I hate Darth Writer's Block)


	8. Chapter 8

So here's the next installment, I'm so very sorry it took so long.  
I need to know what the concensus is...do you want this story to continue or wrap up? This is just like a filler chapter so I don't keep you waiting forever, but I can only write so much of these

* * *

Leia found Han down by the lake they had discovered the day before, throwing rocks into the murky blue liquid.

As she came over the crest of the hill, she smiled and shook her head. She was walking down the hill when she tripped and came tumbling into him. He helped her up and shook his head at her. She was laughing hard and hugged him, pressing her head against his bare chest. When her laughter subsided she looked at to him.

"Why didn't you stay last night?"

He had known this was coming. Closing his eyes, he allowed a smile to creep across his face. "Because then we wouldn't be here today. You'd be mad at me and I'd be mad at you and myself, and it wouldn't be a very good day."

"But, I wanted you to stay."

"Leia, you were more than slightly intoxicated, and more than exhausted. It wouldn't have been fair."

"What wouldn't have been fair, from where I'm standing it wasn't very fair that you so blatantly disregarded my wishes. I wanted you to stay with me."

"It wouldn't have been fair to anyone else to have to listen to another one of our arguments…"

"I was under the impression that everyone was quite amused by them and it raised morale."

"…or have to deal with our foul moods all day."

She sat on the ground and hugged her knees to her chest, there was no way she was winning this one, so she might as well change the subject. "Have you been to see Aleya today?"

He sat beside her, throwing an arm over her shoulders casually. "Yeah, she's doing better. They said that she opened her eyes again. I'm going to head back up there soon, maybe she'll be awake this time."

"I hope she is, for my sake. I'm tired of dealing with your overly anxious and over protective self."

He had to look down at her to make sure she was kidding, and broke out in a lopsided grin as he pulled her to him and kissed her. She pushed him down and straddled his stomach kissing him deeply. He pushed her over and rolled over on top of her, still kissing her. They stayed that way until Leia made a sound that communicated that she couldn't quite breathe, and he supported himself on his elbows; he stared down at her and brushed the dark hair away from her face, watching her flushed face as she breathed deeply. "I think I love you," he whispered.

"Flyboy," she pulled him down until his lips grazed hers. "I know I love you," she said before kissing him again. "That's why I wanted you to stay with me last night."

Now they were back here again. "Look me in the eye and tell me you wanted me to stay last night."

She did just that. "Stay with me tonight," she added.

"Okay," he breathed against her cheek.

"I still don't understand why you didn't sleep with me. I was being very forward, it was an open invitation, one I know you've been dying for," she licked her lips seductively.

"I didn't want to take advantage of you," he said.

_He proved you right, Leia. He'd never hurt a hair on your head_. She smiled and kissed him again. "I thought you were going to go see Aleya?"

"I was. I figured you would have business to attend to."

"I do."

Neither one of them moved. She stared into his eyes and ran her hands up his back and through his hair. She smiled when he closed his eyes and relished her touch. _He wants it; he wants you, just as bad as you want him, if not more_. She rolled him off of herself and stood up. Raising one eyebrow she looked at him until he stood up as well. "I have to go, Mon will be wondering where I am."

"I need to see Aleya."

"Tonight then," she said, walking back up the hill.

"Tonight," he agreed.

* * *

Aleya was awake when he stopped by half an hour later. A smile graced her lips as he sat down beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling, kid?"

"Fine," she said. "The doctor, nice man by the way, said I've been out for about two days."

"Yes, you have. One of our officers got 'spooked' and his shot sent you off balance and spiraling down to the ground. We think you hit your head, because I caught you before you hit the ground. But other than that, you're fine. They said you can leave the med center tomorrow if everything checks out."

"Great, I'm already bored." She laughed lightly.

He watched her for a few minutes. "I guess you're not the little girl I left behind."

"No, I'm not."

"I tried so hard to keep you from growing up the way I did. I didn't want you to be so grown up so soon, without having a chance to be a kid. I wish it hadn't had to be that way."

"I don't." Han's head shot up and he looked at her hard. "Because then, we wouldn't be here. And you wouldn't have met her."

Han figured she must be talking about Leia. "You mean Leia?"

"Yes, the one you talked about while the Empire held you. You love her don't you?"

Han looked at her in shock and nodded. "Yes, I do love her."

She smiled brightly. "Good, that's what I thought. She's nice. She came in here earlier to see if I was okay. But I think she was actually looking for you. She said something about you not acting like yourself and not accepting an offer. Then she caught herself and acted like she had just given away valuable information. But she's nice."

_Leia had been in here before she came down to see me? Why didn't she tell me Aleya was awake. Stupid Nerfherder, because she wanted to talk to me and if she had told me I would have run up here like an excited little kid and not paid her a bit of attention. Maybe that's what's going on here, maybe she really did mean it last night and I just haven't been giving her enough attention to notice the change in her demeanor. I'll just have to make up for that tonight_.

"Where'd you go dad?"

"Just thinking."

"About her offer?"

"Yeah, and I think I'm gonna accept it."

* * *

So how was that for a filler chapter? 


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Han woke up with Leia's hair smothering his face. Brushing it away, he gently pulled her closer to him and kissed her neck insistently until she woke up. She playfully swatted him away before turning in his arms to face him. Tucking her head underneath his, she began to drift back to sleep.

"Ah ah ah, Princess. No sleeping in, today is a big day. You have to get up," he said, punctuating the last sentence by tickling her.

"Han, stupid Nerfherder," she snapped, pushing away from him. "I was having quite a lovely dream."

"Quite a lovely dream," he mocked her. "Since when are you so proper."

"I am a princess aren't I?"

"That you are, sweetheart. A princess with a job to do today, so you best get to it, and stop lounging around with your sweet, innocent, Corellian Nerfherder, whom you corrupted dreadfully last night," his lopsided grin covering his face.

"You're still mocking me."

"Am not," he said, with all possible dignity.

"'Whom you corrupted dreadfully'?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I wasn't trying to," he said defensively.

She rolled over and tugged the animal skin blanket up to her chin. "This princess has just royally decreed that she is staying in bed for at least another hour, and so is her smuggling pirate friend."

"Well, this smuggling pirate friend has work to do, and he's going to do it so he doesn't lose the rank that was just bestowed upon him." She turned to look back at him. "I can be rather eloquent, can't I?"

"I should say so. But I hate that flowery talk, I have to use it enough as it is."

"Fine," he got out of bed and pulled his clothes on. Standing at the edge of the bed, he gripped the animal skin sheets in his hands and yanked hard, pulling them away from Leia's prone form. "Is that better?"

He walked out of the cabin as she started ranting. "Han Solo! Solo, when I get my hands on you, you are going to wish you never laid eyes on this Ice Princess!" He snickered and walked down the wooden path towards the field where the ships and medical bay were. Today Aleya was supposed to be released from that dreadful prison. He honestly couldn't believe that she'd stayed in there as long as she had. She was Corellian after all, Corellians weren't meant to be locked in a medical ward for any reason, especially not for days on end.

* * *

She was just signing out when Han walked up. She beamed at him and gave him a hug. "Doc says I'm all good to go. Now I just have to find something to do."

"We'll find you something, I'm just glad you're okay kiddo," he smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her to him.

* * *

Leia watched from a little ways off, forbidding herself to cry in broad daylight out in front of the entire Rebellion. Wedge walked up behind her and focused in on what she was staring at. "Well Princess, looks like you've got some competition. Solo falling for that TIE pilot?"

"I don't think I'll have to worry about anything, Wedge, but thank you for your concern," she said, not tearing her eyes away from the reuniting of father and daughter. _Father, I wish that could be you and me_.

Wedge gave her an odd look, "Well, to me it looks like he's getting mighty friendly with her, I'd watch my back. I know how we men are."

"Fine talk from a paint brush," Leia snickered, looking pointedly at his hair which was still sticking up, and still tinted a deep red.

"It's not my fault the Alliance doesn't have shampoo that is strong enough to get this stuff out, Your Iciness," he said. She glared at him and he backed away slowly. "I, I mean Princess."

She tugged at her gun and sent him running; laughing as she turned and went to find Mon and learn what she could do to help.

* * *

Han walked with Aleya up to where Mon Mothma had set up a temporary office in one of the ewok cabins. At first Han had been opposed to letting the Rebellion set up in the ewok's home. But they didn't seem to mind the alien interference, so he was becoming more settled with it. Knocking on the door, he ushered her in and then followed.

Leia thought Han looked a little shocked to see her in Mon's office when he brought Aleya up, but soon a registered look crossed his face and she relaxed and smiled sweetly in his direction. She didn't look him in the eye however; she couldn't bear to do that right now. Not with Aleya and Mon sitting right there. It was too bittersweet to think of right then.

"What can I do for you, General Solo?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Well, Mon, this pilot came down in a TIE, she was knocked unconscious by one of our pilots, but that issue has been taken care of. She's been in the medical bay until today. Now she needs something to do."

"And what is this pilot's name?" Mon looked at the young girl. _She looks like him, what is going on?_

"Aleya Solo," she said. Han let his shoulders drop and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Mon Mothma stood and gave them a confused look. "What's going on, Solo?" she growled in a tone that Han knew. She didn't want any funny business.

"Well Mon, sir, I mean ma'am, uh," Han stuttered. He looked to Leia for help, but she wouldn't look at him. _She hasn't looked at me since I walked in_. "Aleya is my daughter."

* * *

You all thought they all knew didn't ya?!

So what's on your mind...


	10. Chapter 10

"Well, then, why haven't we heard of you before?" Mon asked sweetly, and surprised.

"Well Mon," Han started but Leia cut him off.

"Mon, it's none of our business, please could we find her a position somewhere," Leia said quickly.

Mon Mothma eyed them suspiciously, but said nothing of it. Instead she sat back down at her desk and pulled up some files on a datapad. "Well, Ms. Solo. The Rogues lost about three pilots. They could use some fillers. What are your flying capabilities?"

"I've flown everything. Even an X-Wing. I was at the top of my class in the Imperial Academy, and I've had a few Solo tricks handed down to me. I've been flying for over fourteen years. Started on swoop bikes, graduated to speeders, then eventually around seven or eight I flew a podracer. I guess it was about ten that I started flying starships. I know combat, I know flying. Think I'm suitable?"

Han was staring at her in shock, his jaw hanging down in an unnatural position. "A podracer?" he asked for clarification.

"Yes, a podracer."

"Well, Ms. Solo, you seem quite suitable. I'll give orders to Rogue Leader, Wedge Antilles, to prepare for you. Report to him tomorrow morning aboard the _Home One_. The last shuttle to the space craft will be tonight, just after dusk. A call will go out. The Rogues are really a nice bunch, though immature, maybe you can bring some maturity to them," Mon smiled sweetly.

"Maybe," Aleya smiled back. "I'm going to go look around, father. See you later?"

"Uh huh," Han nodded. He threw a glance at Leia at walked out after Aleya. Aleya walked down the wooden walkway to survey the temporary quarters. Unlike her, he waited outside, propping himself up against the wall of the cabin to wait for his cold hearted sweetheart.

* * *

"What a sweet girl," Mon said. "I wonder why Han has never mentioned her."

"Well, it's not really our business, now is it Mon?"

"No, I suppose not. Where are you going, Leia dear?"

"I need to take a walk, I'll be back shortly."

* * *

He heard the footsteps coming closer and waited for her to walk out of the door. She stepped out into the sunlight and shaded her eyes with her hand, turning in the opposite direction of him and began to walk away. He reached out and grabbed her by the forearm, spinning her around to face him and pulling close.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, eyes downcast.

"Well, you seem very interested in studying the structure of the wooden floors," Han said sharply.

She looked at him with hard eyes, but she still refused to look him in the eye. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Not now, Han," she said, trying to pull away from him, "please."

"No, something is bugging you," he tightened his grip on her arm. "What is it? Is it something that I did?"

"No."

"Is it something someone else did?"

"In a way."

"Aleya?"

"No."

"Leia, for the love of Alderaan tell me what is going on that has you so worked up!" He regretted it before he said it.

"That's just it, Alderaan. Seeing you reunited with Aleya brings back so many memories," she said softly, choking back a sob.

He released his hold on her arm immediately, but she didn't move.

"I just wish I could see my father one more time. Or my mother, or cousin, or friends. But I'll never have the chance you and Aleya have. I'll never have it, Han. It just hurts," she turned, long hair sweeping across her face, and walked away.

Han sighed for what he thought must have been the fiftieth time that day. And it had only been six hours since he woke up. Grumbling about something or other, he tramped off in the opposite direction, towards the _Falcon_.

* * *

He ended up back at the lake, throwing rocks into the murky depths. 


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry it took so long, I have to work on studying for finals, but then I can focus more attention on this. Sorry if it sucks...I really don't know where this is going...it's writing itself

* * *

Leia was sitting on the bed in her cabin when Aleya came to the doorway and knocked softly. She looked up and smiled sadly, motioning for Aleya to come in. The teen slowly walked in and surveyed the crude cabin with an appraising eye, before sitting on the bed beside Leia.

"Are you okay?" Leia asked, curiously.

"I'm fine," Aleya answered. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," Leia lied.

Aleya eyed her, "Don't lie to me."

Leia turned her gaze from the datapad she held to look at the teenager. "What makes you think I lied to you?"

"I can tell. And the way you wouldn't look at Han, and your cover was too quick with Mon Mothma. What's wrong?"

Leia sighed and shook her head. "So, you are really stuck on knowing what is bothering me?" Aleya nodded silently. "Seeing you and your father has just brought back a lot of memories for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the Princess of Alderaan. Alderaan was destroyed at the hands of the Empire. My father was on Alderaan when the Death Star blew it up. I'll never see him again. I'll never have the chance that you and your father have," Leia said sadly, sniffing back the tears. She had thought she was over this, that she couldn't so easily be brought to tears anymore.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. But seeing my father again, isn't really a walk through the forest. I haven't seen him in over ten years. I grew up without him, we don't know each other. It's very hard.

"I was very angry with my father when I was charged with him, when I first saw him again. I thought he abandoned me. I thought he didn't love me," Aleya said. "I thought…I don't know what I thought. I was just very angry with him. Even after he explained to me what happened, I was still angry. Now it's all new, I didn't grow up with a father, so I have no clue how to relate to one."

"You'll learn, and he'll learn to understand that you aren't his little girl anymore," Leia said sweetly.

"Well, I was actually hoping that you could help me. Like helping me to understand him, to relate to him, how to get through to him?" Aleya asked.

Leia smiled. "Of course, I'd be happy to."

They sat in silence for awhile, interrupted only by an occasional click from the datapad Leia was scrolling through. Aleya stared out the window and watched the swaying of the tree branches, guessing that it was about mid-afternoon.

"How long have you loved him?" Aleya asked suddenly.

Leia almost dropped the datapad. "What?"

"How long have you loved him?"

"You father? Well, I guess it's been about five years now. But we haven't really been a couple for that long. Maybe a year."

"He's crazy about you," Aleya said unemotionally.

Leia gazed at the teen with an almost bewildered look on her face, "How do you know?"

"I just do. I can feel it. He never felt that way about my mother. I think he let her live with him because he felt sorry for her. He didn't want a kid."

"But he loves you anyway, even if he didn't want one. At least he took up the responsibility. A lot of guys wouldn't do that."

"He wants to marry you."

"What?" Bizarre shock crossed Leia's features. Aleya was still staring out the window.

"He loves you."

"Yes, I know that. I love him too."

"I don't know how he could still love me. If I had never seen him, I would have stayed with the Empire until I died. Even if it was hard to keep the secret…"

"What are you talking about now?"

"I'm a Sith."

"WHAT?"

"Well, I have powers like Vader. I don't use them, but I can feel things. Like how I knew you were upset."

* * *

Han came into the cabin late that night, after Leia had already fallen asleep. Aleya had taken to space aboard the _Home One_, where Wedge was ready to put her to work with the Rogue Squadron. Wearily, he pulled off his boots and rid himself of his gun rig and belt before sinking into bed beside Leia. He kissed her neck gently, feather light caresses that stirred from the unconsciousness of sleep. She turned to look at him, and smiled sleepily. "Hey."

"Hey. Just wanted to tell you goodnight."

"Goodnight," she smiled. "I love you."

"I know."

They fell comfortably into sleep, only to be woken the next morning by the insistent chirping of Han's comm link.

* * *

"What do you want?" Han growled.

"Han," Wedge's voice filtered through. "Is this really your daughter?"

"Wedge, did you really wake me up to ask me that?"

"Well, yes sir, General sir," they both heard the smirk.

"Yes, she is," Han sighing.

"Wow," Wedge said shocked. Then he composed himself, "Have no fear, Solo, I'll take good care of her."

"I didn't have any until you said that, you keep your Corellian paws off of her, Antilles."

"Solo, I'm hurt, I would never…unless she came to me, you know I'm eye candy."

Han chucked the comm against the wall and sank back into the bed with a moan. Leia smiled and snuggled closer to him, throwing an arm around his chest. He kissed the top of her head and sighed again after glancing at the chrono and realizing that they needed to get up.

* * *

Uhh, so what'd y'all think 


	12. Chapter 12

Luke had returned to _Home One_ on the same shuttle that Aleya had taken. She kept looking at him out of the corner of her eye, so he finally got up and went to see her.

"I'm Luke Skywalker," he extended his hand, which she shook.

"Aleya Solo, I'm sure you've heard about me."

Luke smiled, "Yes, well, Leia and Han have mentioned you once or twice."

"I see, can I ask you a question?"

"I don't see why not," Luke shrugged.

"Why are you talking to me?"

"Well, I uh," Luke was taken aback by her question. "You kept staring at me."

"Oh, so you saw that, huh?"

"Yes, I managed to," Luke sat beside her. "Why were you staring at me."

"It felt like something was wrong. I can sense those things. Like with Leia, I knew she was upset about something or other, I had a feeling it had to do with me, indirectly."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"Well, as I explained to Leia, I'm a Sith. But I don't use my power like Vader, I just don't know what else to call myself. I don't flaunt it and would rather leave it alone though."

"But, you're a Jedi?" Luke asked in amazement.

"Is that what I am then?" Aleya threw a glance out the window. "I suppose you know what I'm talking about."

"Yes, I'm one too."

"Oh no," Aleya warded him off early. "I don't want to develop these abilities; I'm quite comfortable as a pilot. I'm not joining your little mini crusade, kay?"

Luke looked defeated, "As you wish. I won't press it."

"Thank you, Mr. Skywalker."

"Luke, just call me Luke. I'm not that much older than you," he said smiling.

"Fine, Just Luke," she grinned. "Tell me more about the Rogue Squadron. I'm supposed to start flying with them."

* * *

She walked down to the Rogue docking bay and surveyed her surroundings, searching out the man named Wedge. There was a large group of pilot standing in the middle of the bay, so she walked over there. Hopefully one of them was Wedge. She whistled loudly to get their attention. "I'm looking for Wedge Antilles."

"Ah," a young Corellian stepped out of the group. "That would be me. Are you one of my fillers?"

"I think you'll find I'll be more than just a filler, Corellian," she said. "What's my assignment?"

"Well, fill this out, then I'll get you all settled in," he smiled.

He stared at her in shock. "There is no way that you are Han Solo's daughter!"

"Comm him," Aleya dared.

"I will," he whipped out his comm and keyed Han's code in. "Han," he said after some time, "is this really your daughter?"

They waited as he listened to the reply.

"Wow."

She smirked at him while he finished his conversation. "So, believe me now? What is my assignment?"

"Yes, and my dear, you may pick any number over ten."

"Twelve."

"Well now, Rogue Twelve, that there," he pointed through the bay, "is your ship." He led her too it, and showed her everything there was to know about it.

"Take good care of her, Twelve," he winked. "She'll do the best in combat that way."

"I plan on it, Rogue Leader."

"See ya 'round," Wedge slunk back to his buddies.

"Yeah," Aleya watched him go with an appraising eye before turning back to tinker with her fighter.

* * *

Uh, how bad was that? I'm sorry guys (I completely forgot about the Aleya Force sensitive thing...yikes...so I had to write this) 


	13. Chapter 13

Five years had come and gone.

Aleya was with the Rogue Squadron, she had just received the rank of Rogue Two, having worked her way from the bottom up. Wedge was still Rogue Leader, and Han was sensing that Wedge like Aleya a little more than on a professional basis. He had been tense, at first, with letting his daughter go fly an X-Wing with a bunch of immature little perverts. That was, until Leia reminded him that Aleya had grown up much the same way he had, and she could take good care of herself. Now he was much more comfortable with it, and Aleya was twenty-one now, he couldn't keep her under surveillance anymore.

When Aleya walked in the door of their apartment, beaming, and gave Han a hug. "Hello father," she kissed his cheek before moving to hug Leia. "Hello Leia."

"Hello Aleya," Leia smiled and invited her to sit down on the couch with them, and offered her a cup of kaff.

Aleya accepted it graciously. "So, how was your honeymoon?"

Han eyed her suspiciously, "It was wonderful, just loads of fun." He leered at Leia.

"Han Solo, stop warping your daughter's mind," Leia teased. Aleya laughed with them. "So how does in feel to be second in command, and a woman no less."

"Great, it's a major responsibility, but it's worth it."

While Aleya talked about her new position, Leia watched Han as he listened, completely enrapt and completely proud.

"Leia, I want to thank you, for taking me in," Aleya said. "And for inspiring me, I never thought I could achieve so much."

Leia looked a little taken aback, but accepted the thanks and returned it with her own, "You are most welcome, and thank you, for showing me that there are always possibilities."

Han now turned his attention to Leia, while maintaining a portion on Aleya, as the two women conversed. He hadn't realized how much of a role Leia had taken up in his daughter's life.

"Uh, father, I have some news that you might want to pay attention for," Aleya called him away from his musings. Both Leia and Han turned full attention on her as she told them of her deepening relationship with Wedge Antilles and at once Leia knew exactly where Aleya was taking them. "Father, he asked me to marry him."

Han's shocked expression began to ease away, and a smile was beginning to break through. He knew those two were getting too close to just be friends. Wedge had been her escort for more than enough galas, formal dinners, and balls to confirm his suspicions.

"And I said yes."

"That's wonderful," Leia was the first to speak, and she leaned over to hug her friend. She had never fully taken the place as Aleya's surrogate mother, or even big sister, she had just tried to remain a friend. "Let's see."

Aleya flipped her hand out and proudly displayed the engagement ring that Wedge had given her. The women chattered for a moment while Han tried to gather his thoughts.

"That's great, Aleya. Congratulations. Wedge is a good guy, no matter if he hangs with Rogues," he said. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks dad," she said, hugging him.

* * *

The next week, Han received word that both his daughter and her fiancé had been killed in a raid against an Imperial outpost.

He was leaning against the doorframe that led out onto the balcony, staring at the Coruscant traffic. Leia entered their bedroom and stared at him sadly. "You knew this was a possibility."

"Yes, I did. I just never thought it would become a reality." He didn't turn to look at her, he didn't move at all.

Leia came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his broad shoulders. "I'm sorry," she pressed her lips into his skin. "I know how you feel."

"I know you do, I won't keep you out this time," he said. In past times, when he'd been hurt, he pushed her away, pushed her out; he refused to let her help him during those times. It would be months before she would ever know what happened.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Come to bed, you need to sleep."

He let her pull him to their bed. Once in it, with her cradled in his arms, he cried. She clasped his hands in her own while he sobbed into her shoulder and neck. It felt good to be apart of him, to help carry his burdens, to understand his pain.

* * *

The Rogue Squadron had created a memorial service for their Rogue Leader and Assistant Rogue Leader, as the position of Rogue Two was commonly referred to. Rogue Five and Rogue Seven were also included in the ceremony as they had been killed in the raid as well.

Wes Janson and Hobbie Klivian made the speeches. They were laden with Rogue Squadron humor, but surprisingly appropriate and Han was amazed at how mature they could be in a serious situation. He and Leia spoke too, as well as Luke and a few others. Four closed empty caskets made from X-Wing scrap sat at the front of the hall, each with a holo of the Rogue they symbolized pasted to the front. All in all, the Solo's had to admit that the ceremony was really nice, it was just what Aleya and Wedge would have wanted.

* * *

No, it's not done yet, but I'm debating whether or not to continue it past the next chapter or not, I need thoughts...are any of you still the slightest bit interested in this story? 


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry guys, I wanted to continue it, but I've been really busy and I just started a new job...this is the last chapter. Maybe I'll have like a sequel or something in the near future, I'm going on vacation so maybe I'll have some time to write then. I know you all want details and explanations and H/L moments...I'll try. Promise!

Oh, and thank you Amorak for posting on the Desperate Naggers Anonymous Thread on EB, or I might have completely forgotten to post this!

* * *

Leia walked into their bedroom, and found Han back at the balcony. He was leaning against the railing, arms supporting him, as he stared into the Coruscanti traffic. She found that he did this a lot. But today was different.

"Han," she called to him.

"Yes," he turned to look at her, and found that she had a bright smile lighting up her face. "What is it?"

He turned and began walking towards her. "There is someone here to see you."

"Leia, I'm really not in the mood to see anyone right now, and I…" she pressed on of her fingers to his lips.

"Shh, you'll like this," she took him by the hand. He followed her reluctantly, suspicious of what she was doing to him. She knew today was a tough day, she knew today was the two year anniversary of his daughter's death.

"Han, I would like you to meet Mrs. Antilles," Leia said as she opened the door to the living room.

_Mrs. Antilles?_ Han stumbled as he focused his attention on what Leia had just told him. _Wedge's mother? Why in blue blazes would Leia think I would want to meet her, especially today._

Instead of the older woman he expected, a young brunette with a dark bandana tied around her head stood to greet him. He stopped short, and backed up slightly, thinking that this was a cruel trick or that his imagination was going wild. But no, standing there in front of him was a twenty-three year old, who looked exactly like his daughter.

"Father, I'm real. Wedge and I, we went under cover. NRI needed us too. The raid was too dangerous and we faked our own deaths, went EV, and then infiltrated the outpost. We just returned, three weeks ago, but we had to remain undetected just in case. Mon Mothma, and Reeikan, and Dodonna knew about it. The Rogues didn't know, and we couldn't tell you or Leia, or Wedge's family. Please, father, don't be angry."

Han just stood there, in shock trying to absorb it all. "Aleya?"

"Yes, father it's me, I'm here, I didn't die," she said, stepping forward to embrace him. They met in the middle and Han wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Oh Goddess."

* * *

Leia stood back and let them have their moment. This was the second time, the second time they had the chance she would never have. But it didn't hurt like it had back then, it hurt differently this time. It hurt when she thought about all of the time they had lost, thinking and wondering.

But everyone has lost something in wars.

She was just glad that the only thing they had lost during this war was time.


End file.
